The Constellation
Pegasus |
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Mythology and History |
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The Winged Horse. |
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After Perseus' victory over the Medusa, he again took to
the air to present his prize to Athena. On the way some of the blood
from the Medusa's severed head dripped out of the sack and fell into the
sea. Poseidon had been in love with the Medusa when she was a beautiful
maiden. Poseidon raised her drops of blood from the sea. Then
he mixed them with white foam of the dancing waves and with white sand
of the beach and out of them he created the Winged Horse, Pegasus. |
The horse flew up to join the gods,
and was caught by the goddess Athena, daughter to Zeus. Athena tamed
Pegasus with a golden bridle. At Mount Helicon, Pegasus started the
famous spring of Hippocrene flowing with a single kick. Hippocrene
was said to have been the source of all poetic inspiration. Athena
later made her beloved Pegasus, the Winged Horse, into a constellation.
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